Bowdoin College had a classy way to remove a book from its collection

It's a shame to see what some (not all) modern libraries do to the books they no longer want as part of their collections. To be clear, I have no problem with institutions removing outdated or under-circulated books. That's an important part of keeping the collection fresh and manageable.

But some libraries go a bit overboard when saying goodbye to an old book. I've seen oversized DISCARD stamps used multiple times within the same volume. I've seen pages defaced with thick black markers. I've seen where the circulation-card pocket was torn from the book, leaving a damaged page at best and sometimes a page torn in half.

So much violence.

There were classier ways once.

I smiled when I came across this blue, four-inch label that was pasted to the inside front cover of a discarded book from Bowdoin College in Maine many decades ago. The slim volume is 1874's Three and Four Place Tables of Logarithmic and Trionometric Functions by James Mills Peirce.¹

No ugly stamps. No black markers. No torn pages.

In fact, one could argue that the book is a more interesting historical artifact with this label indicating part of its provenance.

Perhaps we shouldn't care what future generations will think about our treatment of books. But they will be judging us.

Footnote
1. Don't laugh. Back in 1874, this book made Buzzfeed's list of "Ten Math Books That Your Children Will Absolutely Love Better Than Churning Butter."

Hurry and get this old-fashioned ice skating party for just $1

This advertisement is featured in the December 1964 issue of The Workbasket and Home Arts Magazine — an issue that also includes some recipes and crafts that I wrote about last weekend.

It offers, from the Melton Company, a 30-piece, old-fashioned ice skating party for just $1, as part of a "special pre-Christmas sale." (You also had to include 25¢ for postage and handling.)

The set is described as "life-like" and "a whirling, colorful wonderland." Here's some more of the advertising copy:

"So realistic, they almost spring to life. Ma and Pa sit bundled in their sleigh as their snowball flinging lads and lasses frolic and gay villages whirl across the ice. Authentic Mid-Eighties costume design, in true, bright, rich colors. ... You and friends will enjoy this rare bit of Holiday Charm that sends you on a sentimental journey back through many Christmases. Use year after year — on mantel, table, near tree. Durably constructed of dimensional plastic."¹

To its credit, the advertisement clearly states in two separate places that these life-like figures are only 2½ inches tall. I'm sure Melton wanted to avoid angry letters from purchasers who believed they had been hoodwinked.

The 2½-inch figures included with the set were:

• 2 horse-drawn sleighs
• 3 lady carolers
• 3 children throwing snowballs
• groups of 2, 3 and 4 skaters
• 4 musicians
• 2 snowmen
• 3 evergreen trees
• 3 lamp posts
• man pushing sleigh
• 3 single skaters
• man falling on ice²
• wind-blown lady
• child pushing sleigh

But the small black-and-white illustration with the magazine advertisement makes it hard to envision what this "rare bit of Holiday Charm" was really like, which is a shame.

But wait. There's more!
I always go the extra mile for you, the reader(s), here on Papergreat. I have discovered an original Ice Skating Party for sale on eBay.³ It could be YOURS for as low as $12.50, plus $5 shipping, if you place a bid by December 21.

Thanks to the eBay item listing, we can get a much better look at what this Ice Skating Party was all about. Here are some pictures:

The instructions provide some additional insight into how this $1 decoration was to be set up:

• "To avoid breakage through the mails, we have shipped you this Ice Skating Party in its compact form, ready to push out. Important — Each figure fits into a slot in the 30 snow-like styrofoam bases. Simply separate bases with your fingers."
• "If you want more elaborate scene to cover a larger area, you can create your own ... [by] surrounding the ice pond with a large piece of aluminum foil. Then, surround with Tide or any similar soap powder to have a snow effect. Then place your figures in a setting of your own creation."

Honestly, it doesn't look too shoddy, considering it only cost $1. The plastic figures look a bit like Shrinky Dinks. I think I'll have to give this a thumbs up and say that I wouldn't have been disappointed if I had made this $1 purchase a half-century ago.

Footnotes
1. I have no idea what "dimensional plastic" means. Is the alternative non-dimensional plastic?
2. That would represent me.
3. If that link doesn't work for you, just search eBay for the listing "1967 Clear Acetate Ice Skating Party Display un-punched Melton Company."

Reader mystery: What is this item from the hanky collection?

Sharon from Idaho, who follows Papergreat on Facebook, sent me this image and would like some help discovering what it is.

She says it's about nine inches across the top, which is a fold. There's nothing on the back except "10 cents." There's a folded-under, quarter-inch edge under the green sides. The lone word on the front is Ganetté. It was in her grandmother's hanky collection, along with a pattern. The material is heavy paper. And there's just a little touch of Christmas in what appears to be small pieces of tape on the edges.

Anyone out there have any thoughts? Comment down below or email me at chrisottopa-(at)-gmail.com.

The illustration in the center of this triangle is certainly compelling. I'm almost getting a cyclopean vibe from it.

Cozy vintage Christmas card decked out in greens and reds

This looks like a cozy place to pass the time, doesn't it? Fireplace. Sofa. Chairs. Window so you can watch the snow falling outside.

Not a television in sight.

This is another small-sized Christmas card, just a bit larger than the one featured last Tuesday. This one measures 3½ inches square.

Inside, the card is pre-printed with:

GREETINGS
FROM
FLORA CORNELIA BAKER
Added, in cursive script, is "to the Spencer's".

I don't have any leads, though, on when this card was produced and mailed. I can only guess that it would be sometime in the range of 1930s to 1950s.